Need advise on my campaign... [Archive] - Wizards Community

Need advise on my campaign... [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Knoxer
03-20-08, 12:31 AM Hello! I'm fairly new to being a DM and this week I'm getting a group together for the first time and starting my own campaign. They are all new players and I want to do the best I can. I've so far written a backstory for the characters and would love some advise on it.

Our Story begins with a young man, and for him today is a special day indeed. Our young [player's name] birthday is today. He will be at the age of 12 now and after today his father is going to start making him into a warrior by teaching him basic fighting skills. But before that is the young ones party. Now the boy's father is a good friend of the mayor for helping him out with a bit of trouble in the past, and as repayment he has requested the whole town celebrate the boys birthday. Well later that night while the adults are drinking ale and the kids are playing the boys father steps onto the main stage and request for a toast. "Herrre herre" some of the drunks shout from the back. The boys father asked his son to come onto the stage and greet the people. The boy wanders up there and is a bit nervous. "It's okay son, they are all here for you. It's your day, make the best of it." Says the father. The boy begins to speak but is soon interrupted. A villager comes running down the pathway breathing heavily and trembling his voice as he shouts. "OR-RCS! ORCS ARE IN THE TOWN! RUN RUN FOR YOUR LIVES!". Arrows start to pour from the sky, villagers run screaming to safety. "Son, run now! And don't stop until you are far far away. I'm sorry it had to end like this, I promise we will once again meet. Now go!" The boys father draws his sword and begins to assist the town guards with the ordeal. As for the boy he is stunned with fear and cannot move, he can no longer hear the sounds of the villagers. A group of three kids the same age as the boy shake him and beg him to start running. He shakes his head and begins to run, run faster than he ever has before, the other kids follow behind. They reach the gates of the city where guards are assisting people with getting out. They make it out of the city and continue to run and run. It seemed like hours until they stopped. They looked back to see smoke rising in the air of what used to be their home. They hear a rustle in the bushes and start the slowly walk away. An Orc emerges from behind and draws his axe. He speaks in a deep orcish tongue and spit flies out of his mouth and on the the boys forehead. He then trips over a rock and sees the Orc raise his axe. It comes down on him and then darkness. A man awakes at the break of dawn, sweating mad with his companions next to him. And this is where our adventure begins.

I've got a bit more to figure out after this, but I still need to work out what the players might do. Now I know I didn't give them any control in this, but I figured it'd be better this way.
Tovec
03-20-08, 07:32 PM So basically the Orc attacks and the next thing the boy knows he is a full grown man without any idea what just happened? I like it. May I suggest a couple of changes to the execution.

Same as what you said but have the orc killed by some mysterious stranger. The boy still passes out and wakes up all those years later. He knows what happened in those years past and has made it his life's mission to find his mysterious saviour.

I can make up better stuff but this is my first idea.

Another idea same as said above, the stranger saves him and shows up to help from time to time. Now the man wakes up not knowing anything. Stranger is there and tell him of new BBEG that he has to fight.
Knoxer
03-20-08, 10:39 PM So basically the Orc attacks and the next thing the boy knows he is a full grown man without any idea what just happened? I like it. May I suggest a couple of changes to the execution.

Same as what you said but have the orc killed by some mysterious stranger. The boy still passes out and wakes up all those years later. He knows what happened in those years past and has made it his life's mission to find his mysterious saviour.

I can make up better stuff but this is my first idea.

Another idea same as said above, the stranger saves him and shows up to help from time to time. Now the man wakes up not knowing anything. Stranger is there and tell him of new BBEG that he has to fight.

Well that was my idea. Sorry to people that didn't catch it, guess I should have it clear. When the backstory is about to finish I plan on saying a line like "then you wake up etc. etc." But thats the plan, Throughout the campaign I will be telling the story of each characters past but it not being directly related to them, just revolving around them. And how the events of it lead up to what is about to happen in the present. For example what has happened to the boys father which I am going to make a main character, but he will be only talked about and not really seen much. Like I said, I still have a ton of planning.
Tovec
03-21-08, 12:37 AM Well that was my idea. Sorry to people that didn't catch it, guess I should have it clear. When the backstory is about to finish I plan on saying a line like "then you wake up etc. etc." But thats the plan, Throughout the campaign I will be telling the story of each characters past but it not being directly related to them, just revolving around them. And how the events of it lead up to what is about to happen in the present. For example what has happened to the boys father which I am going to make a main character, but he will be only talked about and not really seen much. Like I said, I still have a ton of planning.

You seem like you have a good handle on things. What help do you need? Let's go from there.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Knoxer 03-20-08, 12:31 AM	Hello! I'm fairly new to being a DM and this week I'm getting a group together for the first time and starting my own campaign. They are all new players and I want to do the best I can. I've so far written a backstory for the characters and would love some advise on it. Our Story begins with a young man, and for him today is a special day indeed. Our young [player's name] birthday is today. He will be at the age of 12 now and after today his father is going to start making him into a warrior by teaching him basic fighting skills. But before that is the young ones party. Now the boy's father is a good friend of the mayor for helping him out with a bit of trouble in the past, and as repayment he has requested the whole town celebrate the boys birthday. Well later that night while the adults are drinking ale and the kids are playing the boys father steps onto the main stage and request for a toast. "Herrre herre" some of the drunks shout from the back. The boys father asked his son to come onto the stage and greet the people. The boy wanders up there and is a bit nervous. "It's okay son, they are all here for you. It's your day, make the best of it." Says the father. The boy begins to speak but is soon interrupted. A villager comes running down the pathway breathing heavily and trembling his voice as he shouts. "OR-RCS! ORCS ARE IN THE TOWN! RUN RUN FOR YOUR LIVES!". Arrows start to pour from the sky, villagers run screaming to safety. "Son, run now! And don't stop until you are far far away. I'm sorry it had to end like this, I promise we will once again meet. Now go!" The boys father draws his sword and begins to assist the town guards with the ordeal. As for the boy he is stunned with fear and cannot move, he can no longer hear the sounds of the villagers. A group of three kids the same age as the boy shake him and beg him to start running. He shakes his head and begins to run, run faster than he ever has before, the other kids follow behind. They reach the gates of the city where guards are assisting people with getting out. They make it out of the city and continue to run and run. It seemed like hours until they stopped. They looked back to see smoke rising in the air of what used to be their home. They hear a rustle in the bushes and start the slowly walk away. An Orc emerges from behind and draws his axe. He speaks in a deep orcish tongue and spit flies out of his mouth and on the the boys forehead. He then trips over a rock and sees the Orc raise his axe. It comes down on him and then darkness. A man awakes at the break of dawn, sweating mad with his companions next to him. And this is where our adventure begins. I've got a bit more to figure out after this, but I still need to work out what the players might do. Now I know I didn't give them any control in this, but I figured it'd be better this way.
Tovec 03-20-08, 07:32 PM	So basically the Orc attacks and the next thing the boy knows he is a full grown man without any idea what just happened? I like it. May I suggest a couple of changes to the execution. Same as what you said but have the orc killed by some mysterious stranger. The boy still passes out and wakes up all those years later. He knows what happened in those years past and has made it his life's mission to find his mysterious saviour. I can make up better stuff but this is my first idea. Another idea same as said above, the stranger saves him and shows up to help from time to time. Now the man wakes up not knowing anything. Stranger is there and tell him of new BBEG that he has to fight.
Knoxer 03-20-08, 10:39 PM	So basically the Orc attacks and the next thing the boy knows he is a full grown man without any idea what just happened? I like it. May I suggest a couple of changes to the execution. Same as what you said but have the orc killed by some mysterious stranger. The boy still passes out and wakes up all those years later. He knows what happened in those years past and has made it his life's mission to find his mysterious saviour. I can make up better stuff but this is my first idea. Another idea same as said above, the stranger saves him and shows up to help from time to time. Now the man wakes up not knowing anything. Stranger is there and tell him of new BBEG that he has to fight. Well that was my idea. Sorry to people that didn't catch it, guess I should have it clear. When the backstory is about to finish I plan on saying a line like "then you wake up etc. etc." But thats the plan, Throughout the campaign I will be telling the story of each characters past but it not being directly related to them, just revolving around them. And how the events of it lead up to what is about to happen in the present. For example what has happened to the boys father which I am going to make a main character, but he will be only talked about and not really seen much. Like I said, I still have a ton of planning.
Tovec 03-21-08, 12:37 AM	Well that was my idea. Sorry to people that didn't catch it, guess I should have it clear. When the backstory is about to finish I plan on saying a line like "then you wake up etc. etc." But thats the plan, Throughout the campaign I will be telling the story of each characters past but it not being directly related to them, just revolving around them. And how the events of it lead up to what is about to happen in the present. For example what has happened to the boys father which I am going to make a main character, but he will be only talked about and not really seen much. Like I said, I still have a ton of planning. You seem like you have a good handle on things. What help do you need? Let's go from there.